FDA's Pfizer COVID vaccine approval means Moderna's just days away
Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is easier to use
The Food & Drug Administration’s approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use is paving the way for Moderna, which may get the nod in a matter of days.
“It is clear that if it had not been for Donald Trump’s personal leadership we would not be seeing a Pfizer vaccine and hopefully in the next week a Moderna approved vaccine,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar during an interview with FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo.
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| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
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| MRNA | MODERNA INC. | 38.39 | +1.45 | +3.93% |
Moderna shares rose on Friday, bucking the downtrend of the broader market. For the year, the stock has gained over 720%. FOX Business' inquires to the company were not immediately returned.
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Azar also noted that while the profile of Moderna’s vaccine is similar to Pfizer’s it is more “flexible” on many fronts.
PFIZER'S CORONAVIRUS VACCINE: WHAT TO KNOW
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| PFE | PFIZER INC. | 25.12 | +0.18 | +0.72% |
| BNTX | BIONTECH SE | 106.96 | +4.82 | +4.72% |
“The Pfizer and Moderna vaccine are both what are called messenger R&A vaccine, that is the vehicle used to create the immunogenicity. So very similar technological platforms but the Moderna vaccine doesn’t have the same cold chain storage requirements that the Pfizer one does and it also comes in a more flexible packaging size. We have a smaller number of doses. Everything about the Moderna one is more flexible and easier for us to administer than the Pfizer,” he explained.
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As for the other vaccine players, HHS is monitoring their progress.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
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| AZN | ASTRAZENECA PLC | 63.85 | +0.66 | +1.04% |
| JNJ | JOHNSON & JOHNSON | 155.63 | +2.54 | +1.66% |
“We’re talking to AstraZeneca and J&J as they look forward to possible approval and get their phase 3 data hopefully in the near term.”